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Chemistry of leaf waxes in relation to wetting
Author(s) -
Holloway P. J.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740200214
Subject(s) - wax , wetting , chemistry , organic chemistry , molecule , contact angle , chemical polarity , hydrophobe , epicuticular wax , water repellent , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , biochemistry , engineering , composite material
The hydrophobic property of waxes depends upon their chemical constitution and almost certainly upon the orientation of molecules of their constituents. Contact angles of the most important classes of constituent range from 94° to 109°. No class of constituent is very water‐repellent; alkenes are the most hydrophobic but esters, ketones and secondary alcohols are almost as hydrophobic. Waxes containing large amounts of alkanes are the least wet table. the least hydrophobic classes are α‐ω‐diols, sterols and triterpenoids. the wettability of wax constituents increases with an increase in polarity especially as a result of terminal substitution of the aliphatic molecule or a cyclic structure.